There were a lot of solo or electronic artists in the BBC Sound Of 2016 poll, which meant the indie sounds of stockport five-piece Blossoms were bound to stand out.

They ended up finishing fourth, but given that they’ve already sold out major venues and turned heads with the synth-pop single Charlemagne, they're more than just another name.

To coincide with new EP At Most A Kiss, they head out on an eagerly awaited tour in February, including a stop off at Sub89 in Friar Street, Reading town centre on Wednesday, February, 10.

Take a look at what frontman and songwriter Tom Ogden makes of their sudden rise to fame and his Abba fixation...

Tell us about this amazing journey from a group of mates rehearsing in a Stockport scaffolding firm to everybody’s tip for 2016.

"We’ve been together properly as a five-piece since about August 2013, so for us it actually feels quite a long time to get to this point. We knew what we’d done wrong in other bands we’d been in and we knew what gigs we wanted to do in and around Manchester.

"Meanwhile, we focused on writing good songs that sounded different to what we were hearing around the city at the time. It didn’t really feel like anyone was making music like us in Manchester. So in lots of ways it feels like we’ve had a head start."

People started taking notice of you really quickly, didn’t they?

"Yeah, and we weren’t doing gigs full of our mums and dads and mates! People soon got into our music. But I think it was really because we did everything the old fashioned way.

"We got ourselves a van and went up and down the country to play, and then got ourselves a booking agent and a manager. We were ready to go."

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

So you dropped everything to make Blossoms happen?

"Yeah, Josh was at college and had to quit that, me and Miles had part time jobs at a hotel which we stopped doing and Jo the drummer was a tailor. Charlie worked with his dad. So we were all working but we sowanted to make this happen - which means we’ve been on tour ever since!"

And releasing EPs along the way.

"Yes, and I think you can see how we’ve evolved through them. A big turning point was when we released the Blown Rose and Charlemagne EPs in August and October last year.

"It started to click then - we sold out The Ritz in Manchester before any album had been released. So it was old fashioned word-of-mouth combined with radio play when people heard those EPs. We did feel an exciting sense of momentum building. Still do."

On that BBC Sound of list they describe your music as “psych-pop riffs and vocal melodies”. Does that sum you up?

"Kind of. In the early days we had a bit more psych to us, but not really now. We’re just a great guitar pop band - that’s where we shine."

Read More

Music in Reading

You’ve not been shy about wanting to be a massive band, rather than just another indie band. So when you’re writing, say, the chorus to Charlemagne, are you always thinking big?

"Well, I write the songs at home and always it’s about making songs that give me a buzz. I’m into pop music and there is a part of me which says “are people going to sing this back to me?”. But I don’t think about that too much, pop’s just engrained in me.

"I do genuinely look for that big hook, that big chorus. We’re fans of Abba - anywhere you drop the needle on an Abba record there’s a hook. So we want every part of our songs to be catchy and euphoric. Charlemagne happened naturally in that same way, so we’re really proud of it."

What’s your favourite Abba song then?

"As a band, probably Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! We love that tune. But there’s so many you could choose.."

So how close is the album to completion?

"We’ve got one more track to do. We can’t wait for people to hear it. I think we’ll be flying once people do. I hope it reminds people of their own situations, makes them feel good if they’re feeling bad.

"A real connection is what we’re after, a record that people will go back to in years to come as they dig out their favourite tune. That’s what all the best albums do, there’s a lot of melancholy in The Smiths, but they made people feel absolutely euphoric."